Unit press with shiftable folding mechanism



Jan. 21, 1930. R. R. M CORMICK UNI T PRESS WITH SHIFTABLE FOLDINGMECHANISM Filed Aug. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 mww o o 0 0 0 0 9 03- 0 00 o e 0 0 o e 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 a o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I M Q Jan. 21, 1930. R, R,McCORMlCK 1,744,131

UNIT PRESS WITH SHIFTABLE FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 28. 1925 sSheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21, 1930. R. R. MCCORMICK UNIT PRESS WITH SHIFTABLEFOLDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 28, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 211930 ROBERT R. MCCORMICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS UNIT PRESS WITHSI-IIFTATBIAE FOLDING MECHANISM Application filed August 28, 1925.Serial No. 53,036.

This invention relates to a printing press of the unit type wherein theprinting units are arranged in a row and in a common plane, and hasespecial reference to the disposition 5 of the folding units withrelation to the printing units.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a printing press of theso-called unit type wherein the printing units are arranged 1 in asingle row in a common plane and the folding units are movably arrangedwith respect to the printing units in such a manner as to permit the useof the minimum of printing and folding units, while providing themaximum flexibility in association of pages. 7

Another object of my invention resides in providing a single row ofprinting units dis posed in a horizontal plane and in mounting thefolding units above the printing units in such a manneras to permit thefolding units to be shifted relatively to and lengthwise of the row ofprinting units whereby to permit the installation of a maximum number ofprinting units in a row together with the maximum flexibility ofassociation with the minimum number of printing units.

Another object of my invention resides in providing a unit type presswherein the frame of the press forms a mounting for a single row ofprinting units arranged in a horizontal plane and wherein the upperportion of the press frame is constructed to provide a substantiallycontinuous horizontally disposed platform to receive a plurality offolding units mounted thereon and wherein each of said folding units isconstructed to be independently shiftable along said platform while atthe same time being operatively driven from a source of power on saidpress frame by which arrangement each of said folding units is adaptedto receive the webs from selected printing units.

A further feature of my invention resides in the particular means formaintaining a folding unit in stationary position while at the same timepermitting it to be shifted along the platform when desired, andespecially in connection with the power driving means for the folderwhereby it may be driven in various shifted positions.

Another feature of my invention resides in the arrangement of the unittype press having the printing units in a single row in a horizontalplane, together with the arrangement of the folding units disposed abovethe printing units and capable of being moved longitudinally of the rowof printing units in such manner as to render possible the arrangementof mailing tables extending the full length of the press at the foldinglevel,

and a conveyor disposed beneath the mailing tables and likewiseextending the length of the press whereby the papers may be delivcredfrom the folding unit onto the mailing table and thence delivered to theconveyor for delivery to either end of the machine.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a perusalof the follow ing specification when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a rather diagrammatic view ofmy unit press showing folding units disposed above the horizontal row ofprinting units and receiving the webs from certain prlnting units.

of said Figure 2 is a similar view showing the foldlng units 1n shlftedpositions whereby to receive webs from certain other selected prlntingunits.

Figure 3 is an enlarged constructional view showing the printing unit, asingle folding unit and the manner of drlvlng the foldlng mechanism froma power shaft carried by the printing frame.

ment.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

my unit press preferably consists of frame 1 which in the presentinstance is shown as provlding a mountlng for a plurality of a pressprinting units 2 disposed in asingle horizontal plane. The frame 1 ofthe press is shown as mounted on uprights 3, to provide sutlicient lowerroom for the supply rolls 4 located beneath each printing unit.

These printing units are driven by means of a motor 5 likewise locatedin the lowermost level, which in turn through a train of gearing drivesa horizontally disposed power shaft 6 mounted on the frame 1. This powershaft 6 in turn drives a series of upright power spindles 7 carried bythe frame one each being disposed preferabl in front of a printing unit.

In order to arrange the maximum number of printing units in a single rowand thereby utilize the maximum available space for the printing units,the folding units are not disposed directly in the line of and betweenthe printing units. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, thefolding units are shown as disposed above the printing units. If desiredthese folding units may be disposed in front of the single row ofprinting units.

In order to permit the maximum flexibility in the association of theprinting units and folding units, I propose to mount the folding unitsso that they can be shifted longitudinally of the line of printing unitsinto various positions of adjustment so that each folding unit may bemoved to receive the webs from difi'erent groups of printing units. Inthe form of my invention illustrated, the frame 1 is constructed andarranged at the portion above the printing units, as a supportingplatform 8. This is most facilly accomplished by forming the top of theframe as a substan tially continuous smooth deck. The folding units eachcomprise an independent frame 9 u on which the folding mechanism ismounted The bottom ortion 10 of each frame 9 is rovided with a caringsurface 11 adapted in stationary position to rest firmly on the deck 8of the upper portion of the frame and is provided with a depending lip12 which overhangs the front portion of the deck 8 to insure properalignment.

Means is provided for permitting each of these folding unit frames 9 tobe shifted rela- I tively to the deck surface 8 of the main frame 1. Inthe present instance each frame is provided with a plurality of arms 13,preferably four in number, bolted to the vertical side members of theframe 9. These arms 13 form spaced bearings for a spindle 14 having acentral eccentric portion 15 upon which is freely journaled a roller 16.The end of the spindle 14 is provided with a lever 17 having a handle18, so that by turning the lever in the desired direction the eccentricportion 15 is shifted to thereby raise or lower the roller 16. When theeccentric portion is shifted upwardly the roller 16 is carried upwardlyand out of contact with the deck portion 8 of the main frame 1, so thatthe frame 9 may rest solidly upon the upper surface of the deck 8 andthe folding unit frame will remain stationary. On the other hand when itbe desired to shift the Y folding frame longitudinally of the printingroller 16 whereby to carry the weight of the frame 9 and thereby permitit to be shifted longitudinally of the press.

It is, of course, manifest that any desired number of folding units maybe tl us mounted on the deck 8 of the printing frame 1. Figures 1 and 2show four of such folding units, Figure2 showingthem in a shiftedpOsiti0n,s0 as to receive the webs from different arrangements ofprinting units. Obviously other shifted positions of the folding unitare possible. In fact, a folding unit may be positioned in front of anydesired printing unit simply by coupling the power shaft of the foldingunit to any desired vertical spindle 7 arranged in front of eachprinting unit. To this end each folding unit frame 9 is provided with ashaft 19 terminating in a coupling member 20 which is adapted to coupleto a complementary coupling member 21 carried by the upper end of eachof the vertical power shafts 7. In this manner the driven mechanism ofeach folding unit may be driven in any of its shifted positions. Othertypes of drives may be substituted and particularly a type wherein afolding unit driving mechanism is continuously coupled to the source ofpower in any position intermediate two adj acent spindles 7.

Another feature of my invention resides in the possibility withapparatus shown of arranging a series of mailing tables at the upperfolding level and extending the full length of the press and inarranging a conveyor preferably a belt conveyor underneath the table,and extending likewise the full length of the press so that the paperscan be delivered to each end of the press. This construction entails atremendous saving. At present it is necessary to use a carrier boy totake the papers from the press delivery and place them on the paperlifts for transmission to the mail room. Any number of such carrierdeliveries are necessary and an equal number of carrier boys for thepress deliveries. With the folders on the upper level and the mailingtables and conveyor arranged as described the fly-boy will jog thepapers and place them on the mailing table, and mailers who tie thepapers and drop them onto the belt conveyor where they will go to oneend for mail circulation or to the other end for city delivery. Thesaving in carrier boys alone with this construction is considerable. Inadition to saving in the press room, there will also be a saving in themail room for under the present system it is necessary to have a mailerat each one of the five paper lifts in operation to remove the papersfrom the paper lifts. With the described arrangement these men aredispensed with.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a unittype press, the combination of a frame, a plurality of printing unitsarranged thereon in a line in a common plane, a press drive, a foldingunit, means for mounting said folding unit so that it can be shiftedrelatively to certain of said printing units, and without change ofposition of any of the printing units, to selectively receive the websfrom predetermined printing units and means carried by said frame fordriving said folding unit in its shifted positions, said folding unitdriving means being a branch of the press drive.

2. In a unit type, press, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofprinting units arranged thereon in a line and in a horizontal plane, apress drive means forming a support above certain of said printingunits, a folding unit located on said support, means for permitting saidfolding unit to be shifted along said support whereby to occupy variouspositions above and relatively to certain of said printing units and toreceive the webs from selected printing units, said folding unit beingshiftable with out changing the position of any of the printing units,and means carried by said frame for driving said folding unit in saidshifted positions, said folding unit driving means being a branch of thepress drive.

3. In a unit type press, the combination with a frame, a pluralityofprinting units disposed thereon in a line and in a common plane, apressdrive, said frame being constructed and arranged to form a supportingway above said units, a plurality of folding 5; units disposed on saidway, means permitting said folding units to be moved along said way intoselected positions to receive the Webs from predetermined printingunits, said folding unit being shiftable without changing the positionof any of the printing units, and means carried by said frame fordriving said folding units in various shifted positions, said foldingunit driving means being a branch of the press drive.

4. In a press, the combination of a frame, a plurality of printing unitsdisposed in a row and in a common plane thereon, a press drive, saidframe being constructed and arranged so as to form a continuoussupporting surface above said printing units, a driving means on saidframe, a plurality of spaced power transmissions on said frameactuatable by said driving means, a plurality of folding units shiftablealong said supporting surface, said folding units being thus adjustablewith respect to the printing units without requiring a change in theposition of the lat ter, and means for coupling each of said foldingunits to selected power transmissions, said folding unit driving meansbeing abranch of the press drive.

5. In a unit type press, the combination of a main frame, a plurality ofprinting units disposed thereon in a horizontal plane, said frame abovesaid printing units being constructedand arranged to form a platform, afolding unit comprising an independent frame resting on said platform, aplurality of rolls carried by said independent frame and means forshifting the supporting weight ed to rest on said platform, a pluralityof rollers carried by said frame and means for bringing said rollersinto contact with said platform to support said independent framewhereby it may be easily moved along said platform, a' folder on saidplatform, and means for driving said folder.

7 In a unit type press, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofprinting units disposed in a horizontal plane thereon, said frameforming a substantially continuous platform above said printing unitsand longitudinally of said frame, a power shaft extending lengthwise ofsaid frame, a plurality of transmission shafts extending vertically ofsaid frame one for each printing unit, the upper end of each shaftterminating in a coupling at the level of the platform, an independentframe shiftably mounted on said platform a folding unit on said frame, acomplementary coupling shaft on said independ ent frame adapted tocouple to the coupling member of a selected vertical shaft, and meansfor driving the folding mechanism of said independent frame from saidcomplementary coupling shaft on said frame.

8. In a unit type press, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofprinting units arranged thereon in a line in a common plane, a foldingunit mounted on the top of said frame above said printing units andbeing movable relatively to the latter whereby. it may be positioned toreceive the webs from selected printing units, said frame and saidfolding unit being respectively equipped with driving elements adaptedto become interengaged by the positioning of said folding unit inoperative relation above any selected printing unit, whereby the foldingunit is adapted to be connected to a source of power in any of itsshifted positions by merely arranging the unit in selected position.

9. In a unit type press, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofprinting units arranged thereon in a line in a common plane, a foldingunit mounted on the top of said frame above said printing units andbeing movable relatively to the latter whereby it may be positioned toreceive the webs from my name to selected printing units, said framecarrying a plurality of driving elements, said folding unit beingadapted to be raised for travel along said frame and to be lowered to aposition of rest above selected printing units and said foldin unithaving a complemem' tarry driving e ement adapted to become interengagedwith one of the driving elements on the frame when said folding unit islowered to a position of rest, whereby the folding unit is adapted to beconnected to a source of power in any of its shifted positions by merelyarranging the unit in selected position.

' 10. A web printing press including in combination a series of rotaryprinting units, a trackway extending along said series, a foldingmechanism movable along the trackway, a common driving means for theprinting units, a drive shaft for each printing unit, a drive shaft forthe folding mechanism and means for coupling the drive shaft for thefolding mechanism with the drive shaft of any one of the printing units.

11. A web printing press including in combination a horizontal series ofrotary printing units, a trackway extending along and above said series,a folding mechanism movable along the trackway, a common driving meansfor the printing units, a vertical drive shaft for each printing unit, adrive shaft for the folding mechanism and means for coupling the driveshaft for the folding mechanism with the drive shaft of any one of theprinting units.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe this specification. ROBERT R.MCCORMICK.

